ITALIAN CULTURAL INSTITUTE OPENS “THE GLOVE SCHOOL” IN NEW YORK
“The Glove School” exhibition has opened in New York, at the Italian Cultural Institute, 686 Park Avenue after a successful run in Italy. The exhibition, scheduled during LINEAPELLE, was organized in collaboration with the Chiroteca Business Network, the new network formed by companies such as Gala Gloves, Artigiano del guanto, Andreano, Gargiulo Leather, and joined together with Stazione Sperimentale per l’Industria delle Pelli, Unione Industriali di Napoli, and LINEAPELLE. The aim is to promote and protect the ancient and noble art of glove-making.
The official opening of the exhibition included a workshop entitled “The Demonstration of Leather Cutting and Glove-making, ‘Breaking,’ and Cutting: How Neapolitan Glove Masters Create Handmade Gloves,” organized at the Italian Cultural Institute in New York and created for students of fashion. The practical demonstration allowed participants to observe the process of glove-making, presented by artisans Alessandro Pellone and Francesco Ricciardiello, both from Naples. At 6:00 PM, there was an official opening with the Director of the Italian Cultural Institute of New York, Fabio Finotti, the General Director of the Stazione Sperimentale per l’Industria, Edoardo Imperiale, and the CEO of LINEAPELLE Fulvia Bacchi.
“We are particularly pleased to celebrate this exhibition in New York, a city that embraces diversity and artisanal excellence. The ‘Scuola del Guanto Napoletano’ not only pays homage to tradition but also looks to the future, encouraging innovation and continuous evolution in the world of fashion,” says the General Director of the Stazione Sperimentale per l’Industria Edoardo Imperiale. “’The Glove School’ – he emphasizes – is a cultural project that narrates the excellence of Neapolitan fashion in the world and certifies that Neapolitan glove-makers are not only custodians of a centuries-old tradition but also witnesses to the excellence of Made in Italy on the international scene.”
The CEO of LINEAPELLE, Fulvia Bacchi states, “LINEAPELLE is delighted to be among the sponsors of the exhibition because it means making a concrete contribution to an event that celebrates, on the one hand, a sector of Made in Italy, to which importance is not always recognized in the fashion world, and on the other hand, Italy’s beautiful material, this unparalleled e leather that our country produces.”
According to the Director of the Italian Cultural Institute, Fabio Finotti, “The Institute aims to promote Italian creativity based on know-how. Art, Fashion, and Crafts in Italy, in fact, all go hand in hand. For this alliance, what better symbol could not be found than the glove, destined for the hand, created by the skilled hands of ‘glove-masters’, could not be found.”
For the “glove-masters” Francesco Ricciardiello and Alessandro Pellone, the reasons for commitment and passion go way back in time. “At the heart of our craftsmanship – as stated on behalf of this group – there is an unwavering passion for art, a tradition rooted in ancient teachings. Artisans are not simply driven by the need to create; they are motivated by a deep love for what they do. It comes from the love for our land (Italy) and for our products. We hope to come to the USA with the idea to project our story into the future”.
È stata un’esperienza bellissima, l’aver mostrato a oltre duecento studenti delle Accademy come creamo i nostri guanti artigianali ci riempie di orgoglio. Al tempo stesso speriamo di aver lasciato un seme alle nuove generazioni. Alessandro Pellone